THE NOTEBOOK: Erling Haaland proves one defender’s Kryptonite once again while Manuel Akanji delivers perfect riposte to Man City trolls… and which Premier League target caught the eye for Copenhagen?

Manchester City advanced quickly to the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Copenhagen at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland again in goal.

With a showdown against Premier League title rivals Liverpool now on the horizon, Pep Guardiola’s treble winners – and their formidable leader – warmed up in style.

Manuel Akanji made the breakthrough after just five minutes, while Julian Alvarez scored City’s second four minutes later, virtually sealing the home side’s progression.

Haaland then scored before the break and is at the pinnacle of history, having scored his 41st goal in the competition in just 37 games to equal Sergio Agüero.

Here, sport mail‘s JOE BERNSTEIN takes a look at what you may have missed…

Your browser does not support iframes.

SUPER HAALAND

After leaving Nottingham Forest on loan in January, defender Scott McKenna must have been cursing having to face his kryptonite, Erling Haaland, again so quickly.

On McKenna’s last visit to the Etihad in 2022, Haaland scored a hat-trick in the 6-0 rout of Forest. Things were no easier for the Scotland international who wore the Copenhagen shirt on Wednesday night.

Already 2-0 down, the centre-half was deceived by Haaland running towards him shortly before half-time and hit the turf in frustration when the chance was converted.

The only consolation for McKenna is that he could be lining up for his country at the Euros this summer. Haaland definitely can’t say the same because Norway didn’t qualify.

It was also an unhappy return to the northwest for former Liverpool and Huddersfield goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, whose blunder gifted Julián Álvarez’s City a second goal.

Grabara’s mask was mocked on social media, but that’s a bit harsh: he’s had to wear it for the past two years after suffering a facial fracture at a national match in Denmark.

PEP AKANJI IDENTIKIT PLAYER

Manuel Akanji is the perfect response to City trolls who claim the club bought their success with untold millions. The versatile Swiss defender cost a bargain £15million but has become a huge part of Pep Guardiola’s new team.

Against Copenhagen, he was just one of four outfield starters in last season’s Champions League final (along with Ruben Dias, Rodri and Haaland) and scored the first volley goal as an international striker.

Akanji is Pep’s identical player due to his versatility, operating as a right-back, left-back and even a midfielder at times this season.

For this Champions League tie, he was the right centre-half alongside Dias, who at £60m is more in City’s usual price range.

THE DEAR GUEST OF THE CITY

City like to pride themselves on looking after their traditional players and on Wednesday night there were entries for popular midfielder of the 70s and 80s, Asa Hartford.

Hartford, now 73, was part of three consecutive UEFA Cup campaigns with the Sky Blues and their best run came to an end against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the quarter-finals of the 1978/79 season.

ROONY CAMEO

The scouts who flocked to the Etihad to check on Copenhagen prodigy Roony Bardghji, 18, were relieved that coach Jacob Neestrup gave him the final half-hour from the bench.

The Swedish teenager has been linked with Manchester United, Juventus, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Although Copenhagen were largely deprived of the ball, he showed enough hustle and confident touches to indicate that he is definitely one to watch out for.